1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to key ring holders, and particularly to the type that is suspended on the belt of the user and on which a key ring holding a multiplicity of keys may be readily engaged and disengaged.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Most of the prior art is believed 5A be found in Class 224, sub-classes 5R, 5A and 7; and Class 24, sub-classes 3 and 84. A search of the prior art has revealed U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,146,641; 1,609,347; 2,547,335; 3,357,615; and 3,970,227. Of these five (5) prior art patents, it appears that U.S. Pat. No. 3,357,615 is the most pertinent. That patent shows a length of steel which is doubled upon itself at about it's mid point to provide a V-shape structure one leg of which is adapted to slip behind a wearer's belt and to be retained thereon by a gripper tooth struck from the metal itself. The opposite leg has a Z-shaped end formed in it, the transverse portion extending toward the other leg and then merging with a straight portion substantially parallel to the other leg where it is formed with a hook on the end to receive a key ring. Fastened by a rivet to one leg of the V-shaped strip is a spring arm resiliently impinging against the inside of the hook to close the throat of the hook.
Because devices of this kind are worn close to the body, it is a disadvantage to provide sharp points and corners on the structure that might gouge into the person's body. Accordingly, one of the objects of the present invention is to provide a key ring holder that eliminates any such sharp points or corners.
It is important that key rings carrying various types of keys giving access to various types of property not be lost. Accordingly, the key ring holder should provide maximum security for such key rings. Therefore one of the objects of the present invention is to provide a key ring holder that must be mounted on a wearer's belt by threading the belt through the key ring holder so that it becomes necessary to remove at least a portion of the belt to remove the key ring holder.
In addition to security, another aspect of a key ring holder that must pass the test of buyer resistance is the aesthetic effect of the key ring holder. Accordingly, it is another object of the invention to provide a key ring holder fabricated from stainless steel, that may be polished to provide a beautiful luster which is only enhanced through continued wear of the key ring holder.
The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be apparent from the following description and the drawings. It is to be understood however, that the invention is not limited to the embodiment illustrated and described, since it may be embodied in various forms within the scope of the appended claims.